By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The Presidency has faulted former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, over his declaration that he would “open the borders” if elected president in 2027.
The Presidency, in a statement released on Saturday via the X handle of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, said Nigeria’s land borders were already open, describing Atiku’s pledge as a campaign slogan that could mislead Nigerians.
It recalled that the Federal Government announced the reopening of most of the country’s land borders on March 14, 2024, adding that the policy had not been reversed.
The Presidency further cited the opening of the Kamba border in Kebbi State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 14, 2026, saying the development had yielded economic and diplomatic benefits.
It therefore challenged Atiku to clarify which borders he intended to “open” and, if he meant relaxing existing controls, to explain the specific controls he would remove and the safeguards his administration would put in place.
According to the Presidency, such safeguards were necessary to prevent terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.
“An open border is not an uncontrolled border,” the statement said, stressing that modern border management was designed to facilitate legitimate movement, trade and economic interaction while preventing criminals and terrorist organisations from exploiting the same channels.
It explained that effective border governance required immigration control, customs administration, intelligence-sharing, surveillance, technology and coordinated security operations.
The Presidency also linked Nigeria’s border management to the security situation across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, noting that the country shares international borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
It cited the Global Terrorism Index 2026 as indicating that about 41 per cent of terrorist attacks occur within 50 kilometres of an international border, while approximately 64 per cent take place within 100 kilometres.
According to the statement, borderlands are particularly vulnerable where difficult terrain, limited state presence and weak coordination provide opportunities for terrorist groups to operate.
It argued that Nigeria’s security focus on the Northeast and Northwest corridors, including the coordinated deployment of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, should not be interpreted as evidence that the country’s borders are closed.
Rather, it said the measures reflected what it described as responsible border security.
The Presidency urged Atiku, given his experience as a former vice president, to recognise the distinction between an open border and an uncontrolled border.
It added that while political contestation was legitimate in a democracy, statements concerning national security and the economy should be based on facts, institutional understanding and a credible alternative policy agenda.
